Cub O Unit Leaders Guide Longhorn Council Orienteering Sid Richardson Scout Ranch Cub O is a team orienteering event designed for everyone to enjoy: dens that compete hard, dens that want an easy hike in the woods, and dens that want to teach their boys more about problem solving and map reading. All Tigers, Cub Scouts, Webelos, leaders, and parents are invited. Cub O is one of the largest Orienteering events in the United States. Over 1000 Cub Scouts, leaders, and parents have participated in Cub O every year since 1999! Cub O provides a great opportunity for your pack to apply core scouting skills in small teams to solve problems in the field. Scouts build their confidence in the outdoors and improve their problem solving and navigation skills and teamwork all while having a great time at Sid Richardson Scout Ranch. Using a map and compass teams navigate to find up to 52 marked controls and score points. The goal is to score as many points as possible in 3 hours. Controls are assigned different values based on their difficulty and range from 5 to 30 points. This guide is intended to provide unit leaders with the necessary information for planning and preparation to attend Cub O. Please try to register as a pack rather than separate dens. The registration form and other event details are available on the Longhorn Council orienteering page at http://www.longhorncouncil.org/event/cub o 2015/ Check In When you arrive at Sid Richardson Scout Ranch please proceed all the way to the main camp area near the Dining Hall. Units arriving on Friday evening will be stopped at the crossroad by the Campmaster and directed to their assigned campsite. If your unit arrives on Saturday you will be directed to either your campsite or to a parking area. Event check in is at the Dining Hall. It opens Saturday morning at 9:00am and ends at 11:00am. No new entries will be accepted after that time. Saturday arrivals should send a unit representative to the Dining Hall as soon as possible to complete event check in. Your unit will be given two colored wristbands for each participant; one is an event ID and the other is your lunch ticket the color indicates your lunch time to report to the dining hall. Please ensure all unit members wear their wristbands during the event. Please bring your unit roster to check in. You will be given as many team entry forms as needed. Please complete and return the team forms immediately. See the Team Classification section for information on setting up your teams.
Vehicle Traffic in Camp When you arrive in camp you will be directed to your campsite or a parking area. Please park your vehicles as instructed by the Campmaster. All facilities are within walking distance of camping and parking areas. CAMP ROADS WILL BE CLOSED DURING THE RACE. Closure occurs 10 minutes before the start of the competition. The road will remain closed until all teams have returned to the Finish. If members of your group must leave the event before the roads have re opened after the race they must plan accordingly and allow extra time. For those who need to leave camp before the end of the event the Campmasters will escort vehicles out of and into camp. Groups will be allowed to follow a camp vehicle out of camp approximately every 30 40 minutes. For safety reasons the groups of cars travel at 5 mph until they have reached a point beyond the competition area. Shuttles cease as the bulk of teams begin to approach Finish and the roads are closed until all teams have returned. Please remind the drivers in your unit of the need for safety. DRIVE SLOWLY in camp. Encourage your members to carpool when possible to help reduce traffic in camp. Riding in the back of pickups is strictly prohibited. Camping Units can do Cub Family camping Friday and/or Saturday night. All campsites are located in the main camp area (Camp 9) within easy walking distance of the dining hall. If your unit is planning to arrive on Saturday please allow plenty of time to get to your campsite and setup. Campsites are assigned by the camping registrar based on unit size. The camp will be full and smaller groups will be asked to share camping areas. All sites have roofed shelters and latrines. Campsite assignments will be posted the day before the event on the Cub O page of the Council website at www.longhorncouncil.org/orienteering/cubo. Campsite assignments are also available at the registration area during check in or from the Campmasters. Please follow these guidelines: Keep the footprint of your camping area COMPACT in one section of the campsite. If you arrive FIRST, please move to the back or side of the campsite so as not to block others who may arrive later. ALL Packs and Dens must share the campsite shelter for cooking areas. No camping in shelters. Please do not park in campsites. Unload your gear and move your vehicle to a parking area. Please do not park in someone else s campsite.
Due to the possibility of freezing weather the water is turned off in campsites. Water is always available at the Dining Hall. An all weather faucet is located at the rear of the building. Provide your own containers. The ranch is frequently included in county fire bans. Check the Council website for current status when planning your meals as cooking over an open fire may not be allowed. Please note the following rules regarding fires in camp: NEVER leave a fire or stove burning unattended. Stoves must be elevated and away from all brush and leaves. Do not build fires outside established fire rings. DO NOT BUILD NEW FIRE RINGS. Keep fires small. Use only charcoal or fallen wood for fuel. Do not cut green or standing trees. Extinguish all fires completely when leaving camp. There are no dumpsters at camp. Be prepared to haul your own trash home for proper disposal. Meals Lunch is included in the event fee. Your unit will be given colored wristbands and assigned a time to report to the dining hall. Please ensure all unit members wear their wristbands. If you are camping your unit will be responsible for their own meals at all other times. Please see the camping section for guidelines on campfires and stoves. Bring your own snacks. Planning Cub O is a team score orienteering competition. On Saturday, your unit will divide into teams. Each team must have at least two registered adults. In general, smaller teams tend to work better and provide a better overall experience for participants. Each team will select a team name to be used for the event. Team Entry forms will be provided when you register. Completed Team Entry forms must be submitted on the day of the event. Hint: It will save time on event day if your unit has worked out team assignments and team names prior to arrival at camp. Each team must have at least one compass and a watch. This is essential equipment for all teams. All participants should be dressed appropriately for this challenging activity and for the weather conditions. All participants must carry a water bottle and snacks sufficient for a 3 hour activity. Water will be available to refill water bottles on the course. This event will go on rain or shine.
Adult Leadership All adults attending the event must have current Youth Protection Training. It is the responsibility of each unit to ensure all adults attending have the required training. Leadership: Two registered adult leaders are required at all times, at least one adult leader must be Youth Protection certified and 21 years of age or older. Coed leadership is required for Coed camping. Cub Scout camping is NOT allowed unless a BALOO trained leader is present at all times. For Webelos dens, a parent must accompany the Webelos Scout on the campout. If a parent cannot attend, arrangements must be made by the boy s family for another youth s parent (but not the Webelos leader) or another adult relative or friend to substitute. The leader in charge assumes responsibility of confining the group to their own campsite and preventing noise or activity that might disturb the sleep of other campers between the hours of 10:00pm and 7:00am. Training and Preparation Brief training sessions are offered every 30 minutes beginning at 9 am. First time participants are strongly encouraged to attend one of these sessions so they may become familiar with the event and its rules. Each adult and Scout attending should read the Cub O Participant s Guide or the material should be discussed as a unit prior to attending the event. The Training section in the guide provides training recommendations and other essential info to help prepare for the event. The Boy Scout Handbook and Fieldbook, and the BSA Orienteering Merit Badge pamphlet are all excellent sources of information on skills and techniques to help your group navigate the course successfully. Practice before you come! Tip: Focus on map reading; compass use is mainly to keep the map oriented. This is also a great opportunity to review Leave No Trace principles as a unit. The Participant s Guide discusses ways to minimize impact while orienteering in the Leave No Trace Orienteering Section, and should be reviewed with your unit prior to the event. Team Classifications Teams are divided into the following categories based on their Scouting role so they will be competing against others of the same age and skill level. Tigers: Tiger Cubs. A parent should accompany each Tiger. Cubs: These teams are made up of Wolves and/or Bears. Dens are great. At least TWO registered adults must accompany each Cub team. Webelos: Made of Webelos I & II. At least TWO registered adults must accompany each Webelos team Adult: Category for extra or unattached adults (18 and over) who wish to compete. Minimum size 3.
Den Leaders and Cubmasters should give a little thought to team makeup. Dens make natural teams and using the existing Pack structure has many advantages. It may make, sense, however, to split very large groups into two or more teams. Not only is this an excellent opportunity to emphasize learning and teamwork but you can promote a little friendly competition within the unit. Bragging rights are valid for one year. Adults who accompany Webelos teams are encouraged to take advantage of this educational opportunity. Learning to read maps and use a compass are skills used throughout life. Encourage all of the youth to take turns navigating for the group and help each other when they have mastered a skill. Orienteering is a classic example of fun with a purpose. Practice before the meet so you are prepared to answer all the questions that will arise. Team Entry forms will be provided when you check in. Completed Team Entry forms must be submitted on the day of the event before check in closes. Hint: It will save time on event day if your unit has worked out team assignments and team names prior to arrival at camp. Please adhere to the 8 person maximum team size limit. Smaller teams move faster and have less impact on the land. Competition The Event Schedule has the detailed schedule for the weekend. It is available on the website and you will receive a copy in your registration packet at check in. Teams will assemble in front of the Dining Hall 30 minutes prior to the Start Time. Maps will be handed out to the teams at this time. Once each team receives a map they will have 30 minutes to strategize and plan their course. Teams must remain in the Start Area during this time. No early starts are permitted. Cub O is a mass start event. At the Start Time a horn will sound and all teams will head off for an afternoon of orienteering. The Participants Guide contains the rules and other essential information. Please review it with your unit prior to the event. After the competition After the race is over and your team has checked in you will have time to relax and rest you ve earned it! You can head back to camp and start supper or visit the Trading Post for a cold soft drink. The roads will remain closed until all teams are accounted for. Shuttles stop about 20 minutes before the End Time as teams converge on the Finish. This usually takes at least 30 minutes after the end of the race. Please advise your drivers accordingly. If any teams or individuals remain unaccounted for the Camp Ranger will initiate a search. The roads will remain closed and nobody will be allowed to leave camp until the missing parties are located. The
safety of our participants is our main concern. Please emphasize the importance of checking in at the Finish Line to all the members of your unit and help us prevent extended road closures. Patches and souvenir maps will be available at the registration area as soon as the race ends. Please send only one representative from each unit to pick up the patches and maps. Tee shirts will be at the Trading Post. Awards Awards will be presented to the top three tiers with the highest net scores in each category and to the units with the highest average scores (average of all youth team scores in a unit). In case of a tie the earliest finish time wins. All teams receive a participation ribbon. Scoring will be finished Saturday night and preliminary scores will be posted at the Dining Hall. If a Campfire is held at the event scores will be announced at that time. Preliminary scores will also be posted on the Longhorn Council website. Protests are allowed for ten days before scores are declared final. Competition maps will be returned to units as soon as possible after Cub O at your District Roundtable. Trading Post The Trading Post will be open before and after the race. Drinks, snacks, tee shirts and supplies will be available. Cash, check and MC/Visa are accepted. If your unit pre orders tee shirts they will be available at the Trading Post when it opens on Saturday. The Trading Post is closed on Sunday. Announcements and Weather Cancellations Any late announcements, postponements or cancellations due to extreme weather will be posted on the Longhorn Council Cub O page: http://www.longhorncouncil.org/program/orienteering Events/CUB O.aspx Volunteers If you have extra adults coming to Cub O who would like to help out with check in, serving lunch, event photography, finish line/team check in or map scoring please let us know at registration.
Leave No Trace As Scouts we have all been introduced to the principles of Leave No Trace. As you participate in Cub O be a good steward of our natural resources by being respectful of nature and wildlife. Practice these key Leave No Trace principles: Travel on Durable Surfaces Use trails and hard surfaces when possible. Have your group spread out when off trail to avoid creating new trails. Walk softly and avoid damage to plant life. Be sure to stay on the trail if it is muddy or wet. If you walk around the muddy section, it widens the trail and causes further erosion. Pack it in, Pack it out Carry out all of your trash. Don t leave snack wrappers, water bottles, etc. Be careful not to drop micro trash along the way. Micro trash is small pieces of trash such as bottle caps or strips of wrapper torn off when opening a snack. Pick up any trash that you find. Leave What You Find Don t take souvenirs Except for trash pack it out. Respect Wildlife Don t disturb wildlife or livestock, observe from a distance. Never feed wildlife. Be Considerate of Other Visitors Let faster teams pass. Keep the noise level down so that everyone can enjoy the surroundings. Read more about these, and other, principles of Leave No Trace in your Boy Scout Handbook. Cub O Rules 1. This is a team event. All team members must register. The minimum team size is 4 Cubs. Maximum team size is 8 Cubs. 2. Team members must START together, STAY together, and FINISH together. 3. Each Tiger, Cub or Webelos team must be accompanied by a minimum of TWO registered adults. 4. All team members must be present at the Start line. No early starts. 5. This is a mass start event; all teams start at the same time. 6. Teams have 3 hours to score as many points as possible. 7. Controls can be visited in any order. 8. Control point values vary as specified on the score sheet. Points are scored by locating the control and punching the score sheet with the punch attached to the control. Punches must be contained within the numbered square that matches the number on the control or no points will be awarded.
9. All team members must be present at the Finish line. Finishing time is recorded after ALL team members have crossed the finish line (including Adult Leaders). 10. Crossing the finish line after the specified time limit will result in points being deducted for each minute past the time limit. The penalty is 5 points per minute over. 11. All teams must report to the Finish Line even if finishing very early or very late. Do not return to your campsite or leave the property without checking in at the finish line. 12. There is an automatic 1 hour penalty for maps with no finish time. 13. Do not enter out of bounds areas marked on the map. 14. Follow all safety and event instructions provided in registration packets and in the event training sessions prior to the event start. 15. Tampering with the course, control markers, interfering with other teams, disrespect for camp or personal property, disrespect for wildlife, or unsportsmanlike conduct will result in disqualification. 16. Teams may not collaborate or share information with other teams except for safety or medical emergencies. Teams are expected to help others in emergency situations. Adult Leaders should focus on ensuring the safety of their group. 17. The use of GPS, smartphones, tablets, pedometers, altimeters or any other electronic device as a navigational aid is not allowed. Phones may be carried in case of emergency. 18. Awards will be presented to the teams with the highest net scores in each category and to the units with the highest average scores (average of all youth team scores in a unit). In case of a tie the earliest finish time wins.
Orienteering Event Unit Roster Form Submit this form at check in. Use multiple sheets if required. This is for emergency contact information. Unit # Unit Type Council District Scout Name Scout Name Scout Name Adult Leader Cell Phone (at camp) Email (optional) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Appendix I Map and Compass Belt Loop and Pin Requirements Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts may complete requirements in a family, den, pack, school, or community environment. Tiger Cubs must work with their parents or adult partners. Parents and partners do not earn loops or pins. Belt Loop Complete these three requirements: 1. Show how to orient a map. Find three landmarks on the map 2. Explain how a compass works. 3. Draw a map of your neighborhood. Label the streets and plot the route you take to get to a place that you often visit. Academics Pin Earn the Map and Compass belt loop and complete five of the following requirements: 1. Explain to your den or an adult family member what cartography means. 2. Make a poster showing 10 map symbols and their meaning. 3. Read a book or story about a famous explorer or navigator. Tell your den or family what you learned. 4. Make a simple compass with a magnet and pin. 5. Explain the difference between latitude and longitude and show them on a map or globe. 6. Draw a compass rose for a map. Label north, south, east, and west. 7. Study a blank map of the United States of America. Label your state, and the states that share its boundary lines. 8. In the field, show how to take a compass bearing and how to follow it. 9. Show how to measure distances, using a scale on a map legend. 10. Measure your pace. Then layout a simple compass course for your den to try. 11. Using a road map, determine how many miles it is between two major cities or familiar destinations. 12. Explain what the different map colors can mean on a map.